The Run of His Life
by theplaywrite
Summary: Albert Ingalls plans to runaway and marry Sylvia Webb, but will their new reality scare them enough to send them running home.


The Run of His Life

"I love you, Sylvia."

"And I love you, Albert."

Albert Quinn Ingalls pulled Sylvia Webb into his arms. He was never going to let her go. If Sylvia's father wanted to take her away, then Albert would just have to runaway with her before her father even got the chance to leave.

"We'll be happy together, Sylvia." The young man spoke softly to his girl. "I'll work to support you and the baby. We'll have a nice house filled with beautiful furniture and lots of land. It will be paradise, our paradise."

Sylvia moved her head back to stare into her lover's eyes. "And a wedding? Could we have a nice church wedding?"

Albert smiled and nodded his head. "Of course. Whatever you want, I'll make sure you get it. We can get married right away."

Sylvia could not wipe the smile off her face. "That's what I want...to marry you. I don't want to wait. I want to be your wife."

"And I want to be your husband." Albert leaned in and gingerly kissed Sylvia's lips. He swore to himself that he would give Sylvia everything she deserved and so much more. He knew what he had to do.

Later that night, Albert found himself sitting at the dinner table with his family. He was hardly eating, far too focused on trying to derive a plan to runaway with Sylvia. He heard the conversations around him focus on school and work. Albert would not speak a word of his plan to his adopted family.

"Is everything alright, Albert?" His ma asked him, ripping him out his trance. "You hardly touched your supper."

The boy looked up. "Oh. Sorry ma, my head has been bothering me all day. Could I please be excessed?" Albert lied to his ma.

"Alright."

As Albert made his way up to the loft, he heard his pa say something behind him. It was then, Albert realized that his family would be very disappointed in him if he ran away to marry Sylvia Webb, especially at his young age.

He sat on his bed, his mind racing in a million different directions. Where could Albert take Sylvia to get her away from her father and where could he find a job to support her?

All the thoughts that were causing Albert so much stress seemed to disappear when he pictured Sylvia in his mind. Albert could not wait to see her face when he marries her. Albert knew that as long as he had the only love of his life by his side, everything would work out in the end. He was sure of it.

So, he quietly began to pack his things and prepare himself for the run of his life.

Hours went by, until Albert quietly made his way down the ladder and out the door of the little house, leaving only a handwritten note behind. He ran towards Sylvia's home, hoping that she was still awake. It was hard to see his way up to the house, but luckily, Sylvia's bedroom light was still lit.

Albert walked up to the window and tapped on the glass. Sylvia, who was sitting on her bed, went to open the window. "Albert, what are you doing here?"

"Shhh. Hurry and pack your things." Albert whispered.

Sylvia looked at him with a confused face. "What?"

"We're running away tonight. I have friends that live in Sleepy Eye who will let us stay with them until we can catch a train away from here." Albert explained, making up the plan as he went.

"But our parents? What would they do? We don't even have any money." The young girl reminded him.

"That's not true. I have some money saved up that could last us for a little while."

"Albert, I don't know. I'm nervous." Albert could tell that Sylvia was questioning their plan to runaway together. It was understandable, especially after what she went through.

"Sylvia, listen to me. Everything is going to be okay, as long as we are together. Trust me." Albert tried to comfort her. "You love me...don't you?"

Sylvia did not say anything for a moment. Then, the girl started to smile and nodded her head. "I love you." Sylvia started packing whatever she could, careful not to wake he father.

Sylvia met Albert outside her house with her belongings. Albert took her hand and the two began to run away from the small farm house. He did not dare look back, not wanting to face the wrath of Sylvia's father. They knew it would be a long trek to Sleepy Eye, but there was no turning back now. They had to get out of Walnut Grove before morning.

Once Sylvia and Albert made it past the edge of town, the two realized it would be impossible to make it to Sleepy Eye by sun rise. Also, Sylvia was still very exhausted after being over worked by her father. They found a spot right off the road leading to Sleepy Eye and settled in for the night. It was what Albert had been waiting for. He laid besides Sylvia and wrapped his arms around her with love and protection. The couple was able to drift off to sleep.

The next morning, Albert woke up his sleeping love early, knowing that their families must have noticed their disappearance by now. They had to get to Sleepy Eye before someone found them.

When the two finally made it to the town, Albert lead Sylvia through the busy streets, contemplating on where they should go next. If they went to the blind school, Adam, Mary and Hester-Sue would surly tell their parents what they were up to. Albert could probably convince the Garvey's to keep their secret, but it would not last forever.

"Albert, where are we going?" Sylvia finally asked.

"I have some money to buy us train tickets for tomorrow, but we would have to find somewhere to stay overnight." Albert explained.

Sylvia tilted her head. "I thought you said you had friends in Sleepy Eye who we could stay with."

"I did." Albert confirmed. "But, they might tell our parents about us. I don't want to risk losing you."

"I understand."

Albert made up his mind. The young man quickened their pace and lead Sylvia to a freighting business, owned by an all to familiar family. Albert walked inside the small building, praying that Jonathan Garvey would not be there. He only wanted to see Andrew. Just his luck, Andy walked into the front room and noticed the pair right away.

"Albert? What are you doing here?" Andrew asked, surprised to see his childhood friend.

"It's a lot to explain, but we were wondering if we could stay here overnight?" Albert asked, motioning over to Sylvia.

"I guess that would be okay." Andrew answered, still very confused. "Albert, what's going on?"

Albert took a breath. "Sylvia and I ran away to get married. We're planning on catching a train tomorrow."

Andrew's eyes widened. He knew Albert always had a thing for any pretty girl who walked his way, but this was unexpected of him. However, he was still his friend and Albert was in need of help. "Alright. The only room we have open is in the lower storage space. My pa will-"

"No!" Albert interrupted. "Do not tell your pa."

"Why not?"

"Because, he'll no doubt tell our parents what we are planning to do. Then they'll try to stop us." Albert quickly glanced at Sylvia, then back at Andrew. "Andy, you have to swear to me that you will not tell anyone we're here."

Andrew paused for a moment. "Alright..I swear. I'll show you where you can stay." Andrew lead Albert and Sylvia downstairs to the extra storage room, already having doubts about what he had just promised them.

"Andy, there's one more thing." Albert stop his friend. "She's pregnant."

Andrew gave some extra food and supplies to the couple. They explained to Andrew their reasons for running away, even if he would never agree. Throughout the day and into the night, Sylvia became increasingly worried about the situation she found herself in.

"Albert." The girl nudged the boy sitting next to her. "Do you think they will find us? You know they must have been looking for us all day."

"No, Sylvia. They won't find us and they won't break us apart. All we have to do is get on a train tomorrow, then it will just be the two of us." Albert rubbed her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"That's just it. It wouldn't be just us. We'll have a baby, too." Sylvia's voice quickened with nervousness.

"And I'll love that baby just as much as I love you." Albert wrapped his arms around her again, only to be pushed away.

Sylvia started to breathe heavily. "What about the man in the mask? What if he finds me?"

"I will never let that happen. Nobody is going to hurt you, I swear it."

"Where will we go?"

Albert paused. All he knew was that he had to get away from her father. "Wherever you want to go. Chicago. Minneapolis. New York. St. Luis."

Sylvia grabbed Albert and laid her head on his shoulders, almost in tears. "I'm scared, Albert. All our talk about having our own life together, it scares me now that it's all so real."

"Do you want to go back to your father?"

"No." The young girl started to sob into Albert's shoulders.

"Well then...this is what we have to do." Albert started rubbing her back to try and stop her crying. "I know it's scary and the future has never been so unclear, but we're together. Isn't that all that matters? We have each other and we love each other."

Just then, Andrew walked down into the room. "Albert, your pa is here."

"What did you tell him?" Albert stood up in a panic.

"Nothing. I lied and said I never saw you." Andrew answered him.

"Is he still here?"

"Yea. He wants to stay here overnight to see if you two show up in town tomorrow." Andrew went on to explain.

"Albert, what do we do?" Sylvia pleaded for an answer.

Albert was at a loss. They could not stay in town with his father here, but there was no possible way for them to leave either. He was out of answers and had no plan. Come to think of it, Albert did not have a real plan from the beginning. He just stole Sylvia from her home in the middle of the night and thought he could take her to a place where she could feel safe. But, there was no safety in the world she was living in.

"We tell them we're already married." Albert whispered to himself.

"What?"

Albert went to Sylvia and got down on his knees. "We tell them the judge married us yesterday and that the baby is mine. At least if we're already married, your father can't take you away."

"But what would they think of us?" Sylvia found it hard to speak.

"Who gives a damn about what those people think? And if you go back with me, I'll get Reverend Alden to marry us for real in that nice church wedding you always wanted."

Sylvia wiped her eyes clean, seriously taking into consideration Albert's offer to go back home. Her father would have to leave without her if she and Albert were already married, but... "What about the man in the mask? I can't go back with him still there."

"I'll find out who ever that bastard was and end him. Please, Sylvia." Albert pleaded in reply.

A long silent moment fell over the room. There was so much confusion running around everyone's mind. All Sylvia and Albert wanted was to be safe and to be together. Was that too much to ask for?

"Alright." Sylvia finally spoke.

"Alright?"

"Yes. We're married. Let's go home."

Everybody braced themselves to face the adults waiting upstairs. The moment Albert and Sylvia walked outside, a sigh of relief fell over everyone's faces, who spent many long hours looking for them.

Charles took the two home in his wagon, thanking God for his son's return. Albert held onto Sylvia the whole ride, knowing a firestorm of words were waiting for them when they got into town.

Sylvia, on the other hand, slept and dreamed of the church wedding she would never have.


End file.
